Vending machine



Dec. 28, 1926. mamas? B. D. WOOLLEY vENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 15, 1926INVE TOR.

'J QM Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

BRUCE D. WOOLIiEY, OF JOHNSTOWN, GHIO.

VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed January 13, 1926. 1 Serial No. 81,109.

My invention relates broadly to a vend ing machine and, moreparticularly, to a coin controlled apparatus for delivering sanitarytoilet seat covers from a container which may be conveniently located inpublic toilets.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simple, compact,positive and reliable machine for vending sanitary toilet seat coversfrom a connected series of such covers positioned within a container.

A further object of my invention is to provide means operatingresponsively to movement of the covers for securing the vendingmechanism against further operation when a cover has been delivered.

Other objects of my invention will appear from the following descriptionand all features are illustrated in the accompanying drawings whereinsimilar reference numerals designate similar parts in the severalfigures, and wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view having parts brokenaway to show the vending mechanism and interior arrangement of my novelmachine;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view showing the pawldisengaged from the ratchet and the parts in position for delivering acover;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view similar to Figure 2 butshowing the coin released and the pawl readyto reengage the ratchet; and

Figure t is a plan view showing one com.- pl-ete commode seat cover andits relation to adjacent covers.

With reference to the drawings and particularly to Figure 1, it will beseen that my invention comprises a case or container 1 which may beequipped with a lid 2 mounted for movement about pivot rod 3, which maybe enclosed by a reenforcing roll 4. The lid 2 may be provided with alock 5 which is adapted to engage with the container 1 as at 6 to securethe cover 111 closed position and so prevent tampering with the vendingmechanism. It will be noted that the cover 2 overlaps the container 1and is effective to prevent removal of coins from the machine.

Within the container 1 are provided bearings 7 which are designed tosupport a shaft 8 for carrying a tube 9, upon which a series of sanitarytoilet seat covers of the type shown in Figure 4 may be wound. The Shaft8- is preferably removable from the bearings 7 and container'l to makepossible mounting of a new roll of covers. The connected covers 10,which are unwound from the roll as the machine is operated, are carrieddownwardly under an idler 11 and then between the spring plate 12 andfriction effective delivering rollers 13 on the shaft 14, which may alsobe provided with a crank or similar actuating means 15 for deliveringcovers from the apparatus after the vending mechanism has been releasedas hereafter described.

The lid 2 may be formed with a slot 16 of a size to admit coins of therequired denomination, andthis slot registers with the upper end of aninclined slide 17, which may be attached to container 1 as best shown inFigure 1. A coin receiving receptacle 18 may be positioned within thecontainer in alignment with the slide 17 and is preferably formed in theshape of a cup to prevent coins from being extracted therefrom.

The brackets 19 which are secured to the container 1, in addition totheidler 11, also 'carry a rod 20 which may have a tongue or pawl 21 andlevers 22 and 23 secured thereto. The lever 22 normally extends intoslide 17 far enough to stop coins of the correct denomination but notfar enough to stop spurious small sized articles which might bedeposited in slot 16. The lever 23, at its outer end, may be formed witha pawl portion 24 which normally engages with the teeth on the ratchetwheel 25, which is securely mounted on shaft 14:. The tongue 21 andlevers 22 and 23 are all secured to shaft 20 so that movement of any oneeffects a corresponding movement of the others, as will be more fullydescribed hereafter.

The operation of my novel vending machine is as follows: All parts arenormally in the positions shown in Figure 1 and when a suitable coin orcheck 26 is deposited in slot 16 it will first traverse the inclinedslide 17 and lodge under lever 22, which at the same time will beslightly elevated, and this el vation of lever 22 will be effective todisengage the pawl portion 24 of lever 23 from the teeth of ratchetwheel 25, as clearly shown in Figure 2. When the pawl portion 24% oflever 23 has been disengaged from the teeth of ratchet wheel 25 as justdescribed, the crank 15 may be revolved and the friction wheels 13,which-maybe "formed of rubber or some other suitable material, willfrictionally engage and deliver a cover from the container throughopening 29, As the cover is advanced through opening 29, the tongue 21will eX'tendthro-ugh the central opening 27 of the cover and funct-i nas a counterweight to retain coin 26 under lever 22 but as the covercontinues to advance, the tongue 21 will be engaged by portion 28 of thecover and elevated, and; this movement of tongue will elevate lever 22and so permit the coin 26 to rollinto the receiving receptacle 18, asshown in Figure 3. The cover continues to advance, and tongue 21presently drops into io-p'ening 27 of the next succeeding cover andallows the lever 22 to assume-its normal position and the p-aw-l portion24 oflever-23 to again engage with the teeth of ratchet wheel 25 andprevent further operation until another coin is deposited'i-n slot 1'6.A

When a complete cover has been delivered tl-irough opening 29- it may beseparated from the other covers within the container by tearing alongthe perforated portion 30,

which at this time wijll -be; substantially coincident to opening 29.Each succeeding cover is obtained in the same manner, that is, bydepositing acoin in theslot16 and turning the crank 15 as previouslydescribed. 7 A pawl 31 and ratchet wheel 32 secured to shaft 1 1 may beemploye'd for preventing reverse movement ofcrank 1 5 Fromth'e foregoingdescription, it will be apparent that I have invented "a machine forvending sanitary toilet-seat cove-rs which is simple in 'design andconstruction, positiie in operation, substantially built and cheap tomanufacture.

Claims: 1

1. A-device of the c-lass described comprising a casing. means forsupporting a roll of covers in said casing, said covers having cut outportions, means for feeding said covers from said casing, and coincon-trolled mechanism for permitting the operation of said feeding meanscomprising a-rod, an elbow shaped member having projections extendingfrom each end of said member fixediv mounted upon said rod, one of saidprojections being adapted to loc'k said feeding means. and the other ofsaid projections beinra'dapted to en; g in, and means lly nounted uponsaid rod extending hin an opening defined by a cut out portion of saidcovers adapted to engage an edge of said cut out portion as the coversare moved to permit the coin to be released from said coin engagingprojection and to cause said locking projection to engage said feedingmeans after the coin is released.

A dev'ice of the class described comprising a casing, means forsupporting a roll of covers in said casing, said covers having out out"portions, means for feeding Said covers from said casing, locking meanscarried'by said feeding means, and coin controlled mechanism forpermitting the operation of said feeding means comprising a rod, anelbowshaped member having projections eXtendin from each end of said memberfixedly mounted upo-n'said rod, one of said projections being adapted toengage said locking means and the other of said project-ions beingadapted to engage a coin, and

means fixedly mounted upon said rod extending within anopening definedby a cut outporti-on of saidcovers adaiptedto engage an edge of saidcutout portion as the covers are moved to permit the coin to be releasedfrom said coin engaging projection and to cause said lock engagingprojection to engage said locking means after the coin is released.

3(A device of theclass described comprising a casing, means forsupporting a roll of covers 1-11 said casing, said coyers having out outportions, means for feeding said covers from saidcasing, locking meanscan t ried by said feeding means, and coin controlled mechanism forpermitting the operation of said feeding means comprising a coin chute:a rod, an elbow shaped member having projections extending from each endof said member fixedly mounted upon said red, one of said projectionsbeing adapted to engage said locking means, and the other 'of said.pro3e'c t1ons being adgarcent said coin chute and adapted to engage acoin, and a tongue shaped member fixedly mounted upon 7 saidrodextending within an opening defined-by a cut out portion of said coversadapted to engage an edge of said out out portion asthe covers are movedto permit the coin to be released from said coin engaging projection andto cause said lock engaging projection to engage said locking meansafterthe coin is released.

91-. A device of the class described compris-i-ng-a casing, means forsupporting a roll of covers in said casing, said covers having cut outportions,an-"operating shaft for feed ing coversfrom said casing,locking means mounted upon said-shaft, and coin controlled mechanism forpermitting the actuation of said operatingshaft com-prising a rod, anelbow shaped member havingprojections extending from each end of saidmember fixedly mounted upon said rod, one of'said projections beingadapted to engage said locking means and the other of said projectionsreleased from said coin engaging projection being adapted to engage acoin, and a tongue and to cause said lock engaging projection to shapedmember fixedly mounted upon said engage said locking means after thecoin is 1 rod extending Within an opening defined by released.

*" a cut out portion of said covers adapted to In testimony whereof Ihereby affix my engage an edge of said out out portion as the signature.covers are moved to permit the coin to be BRUCE D. VOOLLEY.

